Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
Sardar Patel was Instrumental in Integrating Princely States into a United, Independent Nation Opines Tathagata Roy, former Governor, Tripura, Meghalaya & Arunachal Pradesh
Sardar Put thrust on Producing Our own Articles of Need by Minimising Waste Says Dr Ambuj Mahanti
Kolkata, October 31, 2020
Press Information Bureau, Kolkata paid a glowing tribute to the Ironman of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary by organising a webinar titled ‘Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and his Vision to Make India Atmanirbhar’. While speaking in the webinar, former Governor of Meghalaya, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh, Shri Tathagata Roy stated Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was instrumental in integration of more than 560 princely States into Indian dominion thus giving the country a unified look. For this, he is also called the Bismarck of India. He also delineated the history behind such integration and pointed out the diplomatic acumen of Sardar as Chanakya in convincing almost all such princely States to merge except Junagarh, Hyderabad & Tripura. A plebiscite organised later produced a 99.5% vote for merger with India. Shri Roy also spoke on how the three defiant States were annexed and mentioned about the Standstill Agreement, which the Nizams defied. Shri Roy also opined that the practical feature of India could have been more realistic or rational if Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s views were given due importance in the leadership of first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, so far as sending assistance to Tibet after its 1950 invasion by the People’s Republic of China. According to Shri Roy, the true population exchange didn’t occur during the birth of East Pakistan, when several Hindus were bound to leave that country for India and if it happened in reality Sardar Patel could have changed the demographic look of the country totally.
According to Dr Ambuj Mahanti, Retired Professor, Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, Sardar Patel provided the idea of savings by minimising waste to make the country self-sufficient or ‘Atmanirbhar’. He also pointed out that if the population exchange was followed in a right way during the birth of East Pakistan 40 % debt liability could have been avoided.
Renowned journalist Shri Rantidev Sengupta said, it was Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who thought practically while giving shelter in India to the people of East and West Pakistan. He even thought of providing proper livelihood to such refugee people. He stated that the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is following the path of Sardar meticulously while implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act. He also mentioned Sardar’s championship in supporting villagers of Kheda district who revolted against paying taxes in the midst of their grievances not being settled. It is to be mentioned that Patel organised a network of volunteers to work with individual villages helping them hide their valuables and protect them against raids.
Professor Susobhan Sengupta, the Associate professor of Ramakrishna Mission Residential College, Belur spoke about the organisational prowess of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and even delineated on his achievement of creating an All India Administrative Service in practical way, which Sardar drew as a main drive to administer a country in not merely in law and order, but running it as a binding cement to a society maintaining impartiality and avoiding any kind of corruption. He said, Sardar remained ever vigilant to usher in development in totality and he looked for the interest of the State before the interest of the individual- a statesman in a real way.
The Principal Director General of Press Information Bureau, Shri Rabindranath Mishra gave the welcome speech while Additional Director General, Press information Bureau, Kolkata Miss Jane Namchu gave the vote of thanks.